Hey i have a question do you guys put swivels on your spoons or tie straight to the clip.

I tie straight to the clip on most everything.  I dont trust swivels.

I've always used a ball-bearing swivel on spoons. They make small strong ones nowadays.

I trust swivels...

 

That's where I learned to trust swivels too: those BIG salmonids on the BIG lakes. They can tell you all you need to know about where the weak links are.

I'll spin ye' a little yarn:

A while back I worked at a big tackle shop on Lake Ontario. A couple southern guys came in who'd driven up to have a go at the salmon fishing.

They dropped some bass-sized casting reels on the counter and said, "Put some new line on 'em would you, son?"

I looked at those little reels and said, "8lb?"

He looked at me kinda funny and said, "14."

I looked back at him kinda funny, and said, "You probably want 200 yards on there. 10?".

They looked at each other, and one said, "14."

The other, eyeing me, wheels turning, said, "Put 14 on one, and... (pause)...10 on the other."

A couple days later they were back. One reel was clean empty. I could still feel the events on that boat still smoldering off their worn fishing coats. I didn't ask -didn't have to- but I wondered how many times they saw the knot at the bottom of those spools that day.

"Put 10 on em... (pause)... and 8 on the other."

I rarely use swivels on artificials, save spoons.  I almost always slip on a barrel swivel and tie to that.  If you don't have any standard barrels, you can always take apart a swivel - snap and use the swivel from that.  Now if I'm connecting to a leader or something, sometimes I will just use a swivel snap as long as its not "at" the lure tie.

If ya talking jigging spoons, yes

If ya talking Johnson type spoons, no

1 hour ago, Paul Roberts said:

"Put 10 on em... (pause)... and 8 on the other."

Depends on the spoon and what I want it to do. I agree with Catts reply wholeheartedly, because I follow that same criteria.

But on a side note, and not to hijack the thread, lets talk about "quality" of snaps and swivels. Because a cheap one could cost you the fish of a lifetime, just as any part of terminal tackle can

 I use "only" berkley crosslock snaps, and crosslock snapswivels. Do you? If not,.. you should check them out, as over the years I've found them to be the only snap/snapswivel yet that does not fail. Sampo's are good, but the crosslocks are even stronger. Kind of a pain to learn it's quirks, but undeniably unmatched, and worth it.

When your at walmart or any tackleshop, look at those generic snapswivels, you know those cheapo ones with that funky flat piece of metal thats bent around the wire to form a  "collar" on the snap, which you clip the wire into.. usually they are brass colored and you get a bunch of them for mere pennies. Then look at the Sampo's,..a much better design, and you only get like 3 or 4 for $4.99,.. there is a huge difference not only in the products snaps quality, but the barrel part is much, much better as well. Then look at the berkley crosslocks, they definately have a stronger snap than any of them,..The difference between the sampos and berkley crosslock is evident by just a glance at the snap. Take a look and you'll see what I mean.

 Cheapo snaps? a real pig can pull apart within that run at the boat. You know, once that big bass realizes she's hooked and pulls with all her might. I had lost one once during that burst of energy, because the snap failed due to the wire part just straightened out, (ironically, while fishing a small hopkins spoon). Discussing this at a club meeting, a member suggested I try the berkley crosslocks. And I've been using crosslock's ever since. Thanks Jack, they do make a difference. 

And no,... I'm not a berkley sponsored pro, and never have been. As Jack helped me, I hope this helps some of you here as well.

18 hours ago, J Francho said:

I trust swivels...

 

 

Whata beautiful fish.!!!

My casting spoon rig looks exactly like what J Francho's picture shows. Generally using light line and tackle when I'm chasing our big (nothing compared to that monster but big for here) trout, shouldn't ever be able to put enough heat on them to do any damage to that swivel.

I also use a swivel on my jigging spoons for bass. Never really use a casting spoon for bass but if I did I'd use a swivel then too.  

I don't trust JUNK quality swivels, I trust quality made swivels.

Spro are easy to find locally, and are quality.  There's also the Eagle Claw swivels, but you want to grab the pricier "Lazer" line.

3 hours ago, J Francho said:

Spro are easy to find locally, and are quality.  There's also the Eagle Claw swivels, but you want to grab the pricier "Lazer" line.

"Pricier" is a relative term no many seem to understand, a few cents you think you "saved" and there goes the fish of a life time.

Pricier by like .$50, lol.

19 hours ago, Raul said:

"Pricier" is a relative term no many seem to understand, a few cents you think you "saved" and there goes the fish of a life time.

Oh how ive had to learn this lesson many times in life